Dublin City centre to come ‘alive after five’ with free celebrations for everybody

Dublin City centre will come alive after five today and tomorrow as it hosts two thrilling, free night time celebrations for all the family.

The city’s consistent excellence across its evening and night time economy will be celebrated through the first ‘Dublin by Night Fest.’

It marks Dublin’s tenth anniversary since its first Purple Flag, awarded to towns with consistently vibrant nightlife.

Dublin by Night Fest takes place tomorrow night, Thursday, November 2 on Drury Street/South William Street and on Friday, November 3 on Capel Street from 6.00pm on both evenings.

Events will include lively, outdoor evening and night time street activity, including live music, animation, art and culture, market stalls from local shops and food stalls from nearby restaurants.

There will also be cookery demonstrations by top Dublin City chefs with a movie shown on a large outdoor screen at Capel Street on the Friday.

The new festival is jointly organised by Dublin Town, the businesses collective for Dublin City centre and key driver of initiatives around Purple Flag; Dublin City Council, Fáilte Ireland under the Winter in Dublin programme, and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

A Purple Flag is an award for reaching a standard of excellence in the evening and night time economy through a diverse cultural offering which is non-alcohol dependent, family friendly, safe and vibrant.

Dublin is one of just 40 cities in Europe to attain a Purple Flag. Dublin City centre has consistently held Purple Flag status since 2013.

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is supporting the event through the provision of cultural activities and also vulnerability and personal safety training for night workers and businesses involved in the festival.

Dublin Town CEO Richard Guiney said local businesses would play a huge part.

“From market stalls to delicious food stands, Dublin Town is delighted to promote city centre businesses in collaborate with its partners in what will be a fantastic two-day celebration of the city’s amazing night-time economy and Purple Flag status.”

More information on the Dublin by Night Fest can be found at DublinbyNightFest.ie